There have been five mass extinction events in the history of Earth’s biodiversity, all caused by natural phenomena. It is believed that the sixth mass extinction is currently underway, this time solely driven by human activities. The Thylacine, the aurochs, and the dodo are just a few of the most
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A scientific expedition to the Makira Forest, the largest and best-preserved forest area in Madagascar, has rediscovered 21 species long lost to science. Among the rediscovered species are three iridescent, nearly transparent fish species and a millipede last documented 126 years ago. The expedition was part of the Search for
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A bird with extraordinary characteristics About half a century after the extinction of the Himalayan quail in northern India, another monotypic species vanished from the region: the Pink-headed duck, also known as the Bengali pink-headed duck. Although much has been written about this duck, many reports remain incomplete or contradictory.
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A recent study published in the journal Zootaxa reports the rediscovery of the brown-eared shrub frog (Pseudophilautus regius) – approximately 700 kilometers away from its previously known distribution range. The brown-eared shrub frog, originally native to the forests of Sri Lanka, was found by researchers in the Indian state of
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A mysterious bird The Himalayan quail is one of the mysteries of avian fauna. It was last conclusively sighted in 1876, and all subsequent search expeditions have been unsuccessful. However, many scientists believe that it may still survive to this day. The IUCN also lists the bird, belonging to the
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Scientists have documented the first local extinction of a species caused by climate change and the associated rise in sea levels. The up-to-seven-meter-tall Key Largo tree cactus (Pilosocereus millspaughii), which was found only in the Florida Keys in the USA, has disappeared. The rare tree-like cactus species has gone extinct
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The snake species Berezowski’s reed snake (Calamaria berezowskii), described as a new species in 1896, puzzled scientists for a long time, as it was unclear whether it even existed. Due to a lack of sightings, it was assumed that the missing Berezowski’s reed snake was not a distinct taxon but
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In a new study published in Frontiers in Science, conservationists and scientists demonstrate that preserving biodiversity hotspots, which comprise only 1.22 percent of the Earth’s surface, could protect the remaining biodiversity and prevent a sixth mass extinction. This strategy could save endangered species from extinction and secure the planet’s wildlife
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For the Kauaʻi ʻōʻō, the ʻula-ʻai-hāwane, and the black mamo, any help comes too late, but the still existing honeycreepers (Drepanidini) and numerous other bird species on the Hawaiian Islands can still be saved. An unusual measure could now secure the survival of the endangered species. The problem: Avian malaria
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How the wild animal became a domestic pet The aurochs, or urus, is considered the first wild cattle domesticated by humans to ensure a steady supply of meat and milk and to provide draft and work animals. Domestication always involves physical changes: over time, the animals become smaller, their horns
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